


Infinite Plus

by Solpheri



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anything is possible, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Multiple Timelines, NG+ to the infinite power, New Game Plus, Suicidal Thoughts, mostly oneshots, story is not in chronological order
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-01-20 22:02:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12442695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solpheri/pseuds/Solpheri
Summary: After reliving the year 2016 about 300 times, life is nothing more than a game to both Akira and Goro.It begins the same, and no matter how much they alter the journey, it always leads to the same result.Who cares about morals and consequences at that point? Might as well make the most out of their perpetual hell.





	1. Game #301

Akira strolls into Leblanc and sees Goro sitting in his usual spot at the counter. The brunette doesn’t even bother acknowledging the other boy’s presence and continues to sip his coffee.

 

_Damn, third day and Mr. Detective is already making contact with me?_

 

A bartender walks out from behind the counter and approaches Akira with a scowl. In a hushed tone, he tells him to go upstairs since there was a _customer_ still around.

 

Akira rolls his eyes, and instead of behaving like a good little ward, he sits down next to Goro, blatantly ignoring Sojiro’s orders.

 

The older man, clearly bewildered and angered by this gesture, gets ready to scold the teenager when the detective finally speaks up.

 

“Ah, _Kurusu-kun_...I didn’t notice you were here,” he lies. “How are you?”

 

Sojiro’s anger is instantly dropped and replaced with surprise and confusion.

 

“You know each other?”

 

“We met this morning at the train station. He told me about this place, and I was curious about the coffee.” Goro answers as he takes another sip from his cup. “You were right, _Kurusu-kun_. The coffee is delicious.”

 

Sojiro looks over to Akira for confirmation. “Is that so?"

 

Akira dully nods. He just hoped Goro’s cover story and subtle praise for Sojiro’s skills would get the old man off his back.

 

"Hmm..."

 

Sojiro gives Akira a skeptical look before letting out a loud sigh. “Fine, but we’re going to have a talk later. You hear me?”

 

Akira yawns and gives a slight nod, still clearly dismissive of the the bartender’s authority. Sojiro shakes his head in frustration and finally makes his way back behind the counter.

 

After a few minutes, Akira focuses his attention back to Goro who had just finished emptying his cup.

 

“I saw the news yesterday. So, you’re following his orders this time around?”

 

“Well, it’s been a while, hasn't it? Got to change it up sometimes,” the detective replies coolly as if he didn’t cause the death or injury of numerous citizens. However, that didn’t really bother Akira anymore. Surprisingly, things were easier for the both of them when Goro and Shido were on the same side. The downside was that it made the level of predictability skyrocket.

 

“What about you, _Kurusu-kun_ ,” Goro asks as he circles the rim of the cup with his finger. “You’re back early, and Sakura-san didn’t scold you for being late to school. I’m guessing you didn’t go to the palace today?”

 

“Or meet Ryuji. I actually got a ride from Kamoshida.”

 

“Oh! So you went with that route. I’m surprised, it’s been over 20 games since you did that.”

 

“Like you said, got to change it up sometimes,” he replies with a smirk. “Actually, I’m debating between recruiting Ann first or simply soloing Kamoshida’s palace this run. I’m also thinking about killing his shadow too, but I haven’t decided yet.”

 

Goro calmly listens to Akira list off all his potential options, though he wasn’t particularly interested in what the boy in glasses had to say.

 

Both of them stopped judging each other's choices after about 100 games. In fact, they found things more interesting when they didn’t collaborate together on what they were going to do. It kept them on their toes, and the likelihood of something new occurring was more frequent. Not to mention, planning things out and keeping track of all the variables became too tiresome after a while.

 

“Well, you can always just forget about going to Kamoshida’s palace, and live out your probation normally.”

 

“And leave you with all the fun? No thanks.” Akira laughs. The one thing Akira rarely did was NOT become a phantom thief. Being a regular student was way too boring for his taste.

 

Goro turns away from Akira and sighs in slight disappointment. “I know you hate it, but I’m afraid that has to be the case.”

 

Before Akira could question it, Goro gets up from his seat and pulls out a black object from his signature briefcase. Akira doesn’t even flinch when he feels the barrel of a gun press against his forehead. The bartender, on the other hand, instantly freezes up as he watches the scene unfold in front of him.

 

Akira playfully makes a pouty face. “Aw, is this payback for the last game? Though, I did have a feeling... _Akechi-san._ ”

 

“You bet, but mostly because you’ve been annoying me lately.”

 

“Ouch. I’m hurt.”

 

“You’ll forgive me, right honey?” he says with a cheeky smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll fill you in on any significant changes later."

 

Akira defiantly stares into the boy's red eyes for a few moments before bringing his hands up in a surrendering position.

 

“Fine, whatever. By the way...," he starts as he points his thumb toward the man with the goatee. "What are you going to do about Sojiro over there? Futaba is probably listening in on this too.”

 

Sojiro’s eyes widen like saucers at the sound of the hacker’s name being uttered.

 

“You don’t have to worry about them. For now, just enjoy your nap.”

 

Akira resigns. He closes his eyes, just as he is told, and waits for the detective to make his move.

 

A loud bang rings throughout the cafe, followed by a jolt of pain in Akira's skull. However, the pain is only for a split second before the boy drops to the ground and the world fades to black around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternate story summary: Player abuses New Game+ plus to the max while also hacking into the game's code. The poor protagonist and his detective friend are forced to go along for the ride.


	2. Game #6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, thanks so much for the feedback! I'm glad some of you are enjoying this story so far. 
> 
> Just want to clarify some things for those who might not have read the tags. 
> 
> This story will mostly be made up of one-shots centered around the same premise. It will not be in chronological order, and I will jump back and forth between older games and newer games. There are some particular games I will revisit, expand, or follow up on. However, that won't be until later.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy the chapter and have a pleasant day. ^^

Goro paces around his apartment as he looks over his notes for the hundredth time. The paper was filled to the brim with nonsense that only he and the raven-haired boy lying on his couch understood.

 

“Alright, how about I go after Okumura’s treasure while you and the others finish up with Futaba?”

 

“Sure.”

 

“That way, Okumura will no longer need my services, and Shido won't look at him as a potential target to blame on the Phantom Thieves.”

 

“Alright.”

 

“....But then again, he might end up dead anyways if he tried to go public about the conspiracy. Even if I refuse to kill his shadow, Shido has other men at his disposal who could get rid of the CEO in other ways.”

 

“A-huh.”

 

“There’s also the possibility that Haru won’t become a Phantom Thief if Okumura has a change of heart, but maybe that’s for the best….What do you think?”

 

“...A-huh…”

 

The detective stops for a moment to eye the other teenager, who was scrolling through Gun About forums on his smartphone. Goro frowns at Akira's detached behavior. He was so close to smacking his notebook against the delinquent's head.

 

“Or maybe we should just let Okumura die, and make things easier for the both of us?”

 

“A-huh-”

 

“AKIRA!” His outburst didn’t startle the boy in the slightest. However, Goro could tell that Akira was no longer focusing on the forums, and was merely staring at the screen.

 

After a few seconds, Akira looks up into the detective's red eyes. A dead serious mask is plastered behind the boy's glasses, which causes Goro’s anger to slowly diminish.

 

“I messed up.”

 

A moment of pause is shared between the two before Goro decides to ask.

 

“...How bad?”

 

Akira gets up into a sitting position. He hunches over and places his hands in front of him. When Akira finally speaks, his speech is strained and disjointed.

 

“I wasn’t thinking straight and we got ambushed…The others were low on health, and they couldn't summon their persona…The shadows kept hitting our weaknesses and...”

 

The frustration in his voice rose with each break. Goro reaches over and rests his hand on the boy’s shoulder, hoping to calm the raven-haired down. Akira smiles at the gesture and takes in a deep breath.

 

“Thanks. I panicked and ended up summoning a persona that was... _stronger_ than what was needed.”

 

Goro’s eyes narrow. “I see, and?”

 

Akira chuckles bitterly. “Let’s just say I got a little carried away.”

 

The detective ponders on the implications behind Akira’s words but decides not to question him any further. Instead, he continues to listen intently to the boy in front of him.

 

“We got out, but...” Akira gets up from the couch and starts pacing around the room while running a hand through his hair.

 

“This shouldn’t have happened to begin with!” Akira bangs his hand against the kitchen counter, causing Goro to jump slightly. “This time loop is messing me up! I'm juggling almost 6 years worth of memories like some circus clown for crying out loud!”

 

His voice drops to a very low growl. "But nobody knows that. They don't even realize the world is at a standstill."

 

Goro looks down in disgust, vexed by the display in front of him. However, it wasn't in condemnation for Akira's behavior, rather... 

 

Akira yells in exasperation, "even when we make these alterations, nothing really changes once everything resets!" A look of defeat slowly morphs on Akira's face as he breathes out a heavy sigh. “...But I've changed, and I just feel lost because of it.”

 

Akira looks back at Goro, who was still standing by the couch where he left him. “I’m sorry. I know you’re dealing with the same issues, I shouldn’t-”

 

“Akira,” Goro says in the most serious and earnest voice he could muster. “There’s no shame in letting it all out.”

 

Both individuals have had episodes showcasing their frustration with the situation, and while Akira was the least vocal about it, Goro knew it still bothered him deeply. Goro himself had broke under the stress many times before. It was only a matter of time before the cool and collected Joker did so as well.

 

“In fact, I recommend it,” The brunette says as he gestures to himself. “I can speak from experience how relieving it is to drop everything and scream. To be honest, I would be more concerned if you didn’t. However, I'll be damned if I let you turn your back on me.”

 

Goro slowly walks over to Akira and lifts his notebook up to the boy’s face. “Look at these notes. This is all the possible actions we can take from here on out. You say they're meaningless, but I disagree.” He flips through of the pages, some of them documenting events the two had already faced, both good and bad.

 

"Look at what we've already accomplished. Even if the world is no longer changing with you, I am. You and I have the power to make these changes. We can't keep playing prisoners of fate!"

 

Goro blushes slightly at his own words but continues talking, if only to distract himself from the other's shocked gaze. “We will break this cycle, you just need to rely on me too. As long as my memories remain intact, you don’t have to soldier through it alone."

 

After his little speech, Akira reaches up and takes the notebook from Goro’s hands. He looks down at the pages and starts to laugh, much to the brunette's dismay.

 

“W-What?!” Goro sputters in embarrassment.

 

Akira wipes a tear from his eye. “I’m just surprised that the charming ace detective can be so corny. You really admire those shounen heroes, huh?”

 

Goro sighs. “S-Seriously? Shut up.”

 

“But you're right." Akira smiles as he hands the notebook back to the other teenager. “Thanks, Goro.”

 

Goro’s face turns red after hearing his name being uttered without any honorifics. Akira rarely called him simply by his first name, mostly due to the brunette's own insistence on the matter. Yet despite his previous feelings, Goro couldn’t stop smiling as a sense of fulfillment overcame him. “Thank yourself. I just threw back all that dribble you spouted at me years ago. Honestly, you’re a real hypocrite, you know that?”

 

“I won’t deny I have my moments...” Akira throws on a determined grin. “But we won’t let this time loop defeat us. The correct route is out there, right? There's no doubt we’ll escape this.”

 

“Indeed,” Goro nods. “Glad to see you’re back to normal. Your cocky attitude is much more appealing to be around.”

 

Akira laughs. “Why thank you, honey." 

 

Goro scoffs.

 

"Anyways, now that I’m done moping around, I should head back before the bath house closes. I need to wash off all this sweat.”

 

“You can use my shower if you like. I’ll even lend you some spare clothes.”

 

“Are you okay with that?”

 

“I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t. Besides, you’re my guest.” Goro directs Akira's attention towards the hallway. “Bathroom’s down there. I’ll have some food ready when you’re done.”

 

“Wow. You really know how to treat a girl. My hero!”

 

"Well, you certainly recover fast." Akechi shakes his head, "Just hurry up before I change my mind, you moron.”

 

Akira submits and marches off to the bath.

 

As Goro is about to walk into the kitchen, he hears a few chimes coming from the living area. He strolls over and finds Akira’s phone sitting idly on the couch cushion. The glowing screen reveals new messages from Ann Takamaki.

 

The phone chimes again.

 

Goro, unable to restrain his investigative impulse, picks up the device and swiftly types in Akira’s password.

 

**AT: Hey, just want to know if you’re okay.**

**AT: You left in quite a rush after we got back from the hospital.**

**AT: I stopped by your place, but Morgana says you didn’t return to Leblanc.**

**AT: Where are you?**

 

_Hospital?_

 

Goro thinks about texting the girl back. He didn’t want Ann to worry herself sick, but he was also curious to know what she was referring to.

 

Before he could decide, a few more texts pop up on the screen.

 

**AT: Ryuji is going to be okay, Akira.**

**AT: He actually just texted me a few minutes ago.**

**AT: Good news! He’ll be released by tomorrow. (*^▽^*)**

 

There is a short pause before more texts come in.

 

**AT: I know what you're thinking**

**AT: Yeah, it’s upsetting he can’t be a Phantom Thief for a while, but the important thing is that he’s fine.**

**AT:  And he's NOT mad at you!**

**AT: You saved us, so don't**   **let this little hiccup bring you down.**

 

There's another pause.

 

**AT: We trust you, Leader. You can handle anything.**

**AT: So please, text me back alright?**

 

The detective stands in silence while staring emotionlessly at the chat log, a dizzying sensation of dread slowly engulfs him. He turns off the screen and puts the phone back where he found it.

 

Goro looks in the direction of the bathroom and its occupant.

 

_Leader..._

 

With a worried expression, the brunette opens his notebook to a blank page and writes the word down, noting it for later.

 


	3. Game #2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, guess who finally decided to update this fic? Yup, this asshole right here haha...ha...*goes to sulk in a corner*

Akira calmly walks over to the fuming boy at the end of the hallway. Ryuji kicks up some imaginary dirt and turns to him angrily.

 

“I’m so pissed off! Aren’t we supposed to be guests? Why the hell do we hafta be doin’ manual labor!? This is bullshit! Goin’ to the bathroom didn’t even make me feel better!”

 

The boy with glasses grins in amusement. Seeing his best friend getting all worked up, for some reason, was more endearing than annoying this time around. Not that he would ever admit that to the blonde. Ryuji did have a tendency to yell out _certain_ information in public, so it wouldn’t be wise for Akira to encourage his behavior. Not to mention, the boy would probably act all embarrassed about it as well.

 

From the corner of his eye, Akira turns to his left to see a blonde pigtailed girl walking towards them.

 

“Quiet down, will you?” Ann frowns at Ryuji then sighs. “I get how you feel though...That sucked for the both of us.”

 

Ryuji drops his head in disappointment. “We gotta do more of this tomorrow too…?”

 

Morgana, who was quietly listening from inside Akira’s bag, pops out and pears over at the delinquent. “No flaking out, Ryuji.”

 

“I know, I know. I gotta be a ‘good boy’, right? Bein’ phantom thieves ain’t easy...”

 

Akira shakes his head. _Yeah...wait a couple months and complain to us then. It only gets harder from here on out, buddy._ With that in mind, the raven-haired teen starts to shift his gaze over to the right corner at the end of the hallway. He gives Morgana a _look_ and the cat nods in response.

 

“That reminds me,” Ann says with more energy than before. “We get to go home straight from here today. We don’t spend much time in this area, so why don’t we relax and check out some shops beforehand?”

 

Morgana instantly perks up. “Ooh, I know a place. I wanna go to that huge PANCAKE-looking place we passed on the way here!”

 

Akira recoils a bit from the cat’s forced enthusiasm. _Okay, a bit too much emphasis there._

 

“Keep it down! We’re not allowed to bring cats here remember!”

 

“Oh my god...You guys are both loud.” Ann looks at the two annoyingly as she tries to hush them in a more controlled voice. “Anyways, you’re talking about Dome Town, Morgana. There’s also an amusement park there with some pretty hardcore rides.”

 

A determined expression forms on the cat’s face. “All right...Let’s go! I’ll show you just how courageous I am!” He says confidently while trying to impress his not-so-secret crush on the female student.

 

“Morgana,” Akira chimes in. “Roller coasters don’t really prove how much guts you have...But they do prove how well you can hold down your lunch, that’s for sure.”

 

“Yeah, besides I doubt they would let a cat on the ride. Unless you sneak on by staying in his bag, but you’d totally puke if you did that.”

 

Morgana retreats back into the bag. “Uhh…I think I’ll pass on the puke rides.”

 

“Well aside from that, are we all up for a trip to Dome Town?” Ann looks at the duo expectantly.

 

“I’m feelin’ up to it. Akira?”

 

The other boy nods, and just as he stops, a figure emerges from behind the wall and his body immediately tenses up. Akira stares at the young detective with discrete fury. He tried his best to contain his anger towards the boy who tried, _and will try,_ to kill him and his friends. However, despite himself, he also felt a sense of relief. The last time he saw Goro Akechi in person was right before he was killed in Shido’s palace, so seeing the teen walking around unharmed made him feel happy in some way.

 

However, those mixed emotions of rage and joy suddenly morph into shock as he watches Akechi walk right past them (no eye contact whatsoever) and out of sight. Akira couldn’t help but stand there dumbfounded with his mouth agape.

 

_Wait a minute...Where the hell is he going?!_

 

Akira almost follows after him on impulse, until he hears Ryuji call out to him. “Yo Akira, you okay back there? We’re going to Dome Town now!” Apparently, while he was panicking internally, his two companions decided to head towards the exit without him.

 

“Yeah...coming…," he reluctantly responds back.

 

Akira hesitates to leave at first, his eyes never leaving the place where the detective once was, but eventually, he turns around and follows his friends out the building.

 

 

* * *

 

Akira lays down on his bed and looks up at the ceiling perplexed. “I don’t get it…”

 

Morgana leaps onto to bed and stares down at the boy’s face. “Are you talking about Akechi,” he asks.

 

“Yeah...he was supposed to stop and talk to us back there.”

 

“Maybe you’re remembering things wrong?”

 

Akira frowns and shakes his head. “No, that’s impossible. That conversation was supposed to be the one where we catch him slipping up...How we found out he was lying about being ‘ _new’_ to the Metaverse.”

 

“Well, I mentioned ‘pancakes’ like you said. Pretty loudly too.”

 

“Yeah, thank you for that,” the boy chuckles to himself. “You know, you could’ve been a bit more subtle though.”

 

The small bundle of fur begins to hiss at him, clearly offended. “Hey! I just wanted to be sure he heard it, is all. What’s so wrong about that?”

 

“Hehe...Nothing, and believe me, he heard it,” Akira said reassuringly. The boy then brings a hand to his temple. “However, I don’t understand why he ignored us? That’s not like him. Maybe I...No! Did I….”

 

A growing ache starts to fill his chest and a sense of dread begins to overcome him.  Akira shoots up from the bed as beads of sweat start to form on his forehead. “D-Did I make a mistake and mess things up again?”

 

“Hey, Hey! Calm down.” Morgana calls out to him in concern. The young teen slowly turns his head towards the feline.

 

“I’m sure you didn’t do anything like that,” Morgana says calmly. “After all, you have me here to make sure everything stays on track, remember? I won’t allow you to slack off and produce sloppy work. Besides, almost everything is going the way you’ve described it so far. Have more faith in yourself.”

 

Akira lets out a deep breath and smiles at the cat appreciatively. “Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Morgana. I'm glad I can confide in you about all this.”

 

“Well, it’s not every day a time traveler asks for my help, so I couldn’t possibly say no,” he replies proudly. “Anyways, you should go to bed now. You’ll see Akechi again tomorrow so maybe then he’ll start acting like he normally does.”

 

Akira nods in agreement and allows himself to slowly fall asleep.

 

* * *

 

The cute announcer, with her mic in hand, gets up from her seat and approaches Akira with enthusiasm. “All right, let’s try asking this student here. Hypothetically speaking, what are your thoughts on these Phantom Thieves, if they were real.”

 

The raven-haired boy knew she would come to him so he already had an answer prepped. However, seeing the detective gaze at him so intently made Akira feel nervous for some reason. It’s not like it was the first time, at least not in this timeline, Akechi had looked at him that way, so why now was Akira so bothered by the guy’s stare.

 

“T-They’re justice itself.” _Shit, I stuttered._

 

From his peripheral vision, he could tell Ann and Ryuji were giving him a curious look.

 

_Oh, come on. I can’t be cool and collected ALL the time._

 

Akechi also looks at him with a surprised expression. “Hmm...you say that, but it’s not as firm as I would have expected. Still, I suppose you could just be suffering from a case of stage fright. Not everyone is comfortable with being put on the spot after all.”

 

The cheerful host turns to the detective and continues with his questions. “Still, this is completely against the opinion you had about them being tried by the law, Akechi-kun.”

 

The boy laughs and winks at the camera. “Indeed. It’s rather intriguing to hear such an acknowledgment. In that case, there’s one more question I’d like to ask…”

 

Akira feels a chill up his spine as the detective focuses all his attention on him again. “If there was a person who had wronged you in some way, would you feel more satisfaction if that person was forced to have a change of heart or if he came to it naturally?”

 

The boy with glasses presses his lip in frustration. That was _NOT_ the question he was asked before, but nonetheless, Akira replies as cooly as possible. “What do you think?”

 

“Ah, throwing the question back at me? Well, this is my opinion on the topic...” The boy looks down at his gloved hands as he speaks. Akira feels his gaze fall onto the detective’s hands as well.

 

“An empty apology does nothing emotionally for anyone, thus I believe a person who voluntarily acknowledges and feels repentance for his crimes is really what is needed to close a case for good. Our justice system reflects that, after all. Criminals are arrested, tried, and then sent to prison. From there, some are given the opportunity to go through _rehabilitation_ and genuinely put an effort into changing their ways. If we allow the Phantom Thieves to continue what they’ve been doing, this would disrupt the order of things. If the Phantom Thieves truly wanted these criminals, like Kamoshida and Madarame, to pay for their crimes, why not share their evidence with the police? They can even do it anonymously if they must. As someone who works closely with the authorities, I can attest that we do investigate anonymous tips if enough intel is there to back up their claims. So, why must they take the law into their own hands? Why do they feel that it’s okay for them to pass judgment onto others? Are they truly helping others, or...are they just helping themselves _feel_ good?”

 

Akira tries not to scowl at the smug brunette. He glances over at his friends, both equally uncomfortable with what Akechi was saying. Ann looks away conflicted while Ryuji looks about ready to punch the guy. The boy could even hear Morgana shuffling in his bag under the chair.

 

“They are a threat to our everyday lives. To support them is the same as disregarding law and order. Personally, I can not trust a mysterious group of individuals who force their will onto others, as if their assertions were superior.”

 

The room was quiet once he was done talking. No one wanted to speak, including Akira. He was not expecting Akechi to say something like that, least of all, go off on a lecture discussing the morality of believing in the Phantom Thieves. However, if the raven-haired had to be honest with himself, he did bitterly agree with _SOME_ of the brunette’s points. After all, Yaldabaoth was a primary example of how the ability to forcibly change a person’s cognition could be used wrongfully.

 

The silence causes the detective to chuckle to himself. “My apologies. It seems I have made things quite awkward. As I mentioned prior, that was just my own personal opinion. Please, feel free to decide for yourselves whether the Thieves’ actions are good or not.”

 

He shoots the host a reassuring smile and ushers the man to continue the conversation. As the two discuss the Thieve’s ‘methods’ as well as insinuate that they are responsible for the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns, Akira could hear his classmates begin to whisper around him.

 

_“What Akechi-san said just now was so cool. I feel like my IQ increases every time I listen to him.”_

 

_“I know, right? It sent me chills.”_

 

_“Yeah, when he explains it like that, the Phantom Thieves are really no better than those bad guys, huh?”_

 

_“Kamoshida looked down on us. Those Thieves, if they do exist, probably see us the same way if they think it’s okay to ignore the law like that.”_

 

_“It’s not their job to make the decisions of the people. That’s what lay judges are for, after all.”_

 

As he heard more and more of the support being thrown at Akechi, Akira feels his hands slowly tighten into fists. The detective, somehow, was able to attack one of their biggest insecurities more thoroughly this time around. He hoped this more direct opposition to the Phantom Thieves would not affect his team’s morale. They will just have to figure out the justice of their actions for themselves eventually, same as they did before.

 

* * *

 

“Oh, it’s you…!” Akechi calls out to him just as Ann leaves the area. The detective smiles at him. “I’m glad I found you. I wanted to thank you in person. To paraphrase Hegel, advancement cannot occur without both thesis and antithesis.”

 

Akira nods. “I agree. Our discussion was _very_ meaningful.”

 

“Haha. I’m impressed you understood what I was saying. I'm Goro Akechi by the way, but you probably already knew that. May I ask for your name?"

 

"Akira. Akira Kurusu," he replies plainly.

 

"Nice to formally meet you, Kurusu-kun. You know, few people around me are so willing to speak their minds so freely as you did earlier. I feel like our discussions could prove quite fruitful. Would you mind talking to me again?”

 

He shrugs. “Depends on how I feel.”

 

The brunette laughs again. He gets a little closer to the other teen and looks at him with an excited expression on his face. “I appreciate the honesty. Still, I look forward to seeing you again.”

 

Akira instinctively backs up. “Sure…”

 

The detective nods, and then turns around to walk away. “Ah, before I go…” Akechi makes a 180 to face him again. He swiftly leans into Akira’s ear and whispers, “You do know cats aren’t allowed at the tv station, correct?”

 

The younger boy’s body freezes in place. His eyes unconsciously move to the bag on his shoulder. Akechi notices the gesture and smiles sweetly. He backs up and places a finger against his lips.

 

“Don’t worry my lips are sealed. I just wanted to let you know since your feline friend was quite noisy yesterday. You better make sure your pet stays quiet unless you want it to get caught by someone.”

 

Akechi throws him another innocent grin. “Well then…” The brunette then walks away, leaving Akira feeling dizzy and weak.

 

Morgana peeks out from the bag and gives him a worried look. “Akira?”

 

The boy feels his throat dry as the words spill out from his mouth. He couldn’t stop his voice from shaking.

 

“Morgana…,” he says, looking at the cat fearfully. “I think he knows.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol, when Morgana talks about pancakes, I imagine Akechi be all like 'Nope Nope Nope, I'm getting the fuck out of here!'
> 
> So Game# 2, huh? This timeline, if you haven't guessed, is supposed to be the initial NG+ timeline. Referencing the notes I made in my last chapter, this is one of the timelines I will be going back to every now and again. However, I won't revisit it again until a couple more chapters are released.
> 
> Poor Akira doesn't know what's coming to him.


	4. Game #10

“Ok...What the hell are you guys wearing?”

 

Ryuji stares at the trio in utter disappointment. Yusuke gives the blonde boy a perplexed look, while Akira and Goro turn away awkwardly.

 

“What do you mean?” Yusuke questions.

 

“I mean, why am I the only one here actually dressed in workout clothes?!” The blonde boy exclaims as he gestures towards himself. Akira tries to stifle a laugh.

 

Yusuke tilts his head and makes an inquisitive face. “Well, my PE uniform is currently being hang-dried. What’s the matter with the clothes I’m currently wearing?”

 

“Dude! You’re wearing your school uniform! There’s no way you could move in those!”

 

More chuckles escape Akira’s mouth as the boy recalls a memory of Yusuke imitating Jesus.

 

_Little did you know, Ryuji…_

 

“I apologize,” Goro interjected. “I had a tv interview just before our meet-up, thus I did not have the opportunity to change into proper attire.”

 

Ryuji sighs in defeat. “So, what’s your excuse man?”

 

The retired track star looks over to Akira who simply shrugs in response. “Sorry, I forgot.”

 

“Huh?! That makes no effin' sense! Then how did you remember to come to Inokashira Park?”

 

In reality, the boy in glasses purposely chose not to dress accordingly for two distinct reasons. One, none of them will be exercising today because...

 

“Hey!” A female voice calls out.

 

_Right on cue._

 

The boys turn around to see Ann Takamaki wave at them in the distance. “What are you all doing here,” she asks as she runs up to the group.

 

Yusuke smiles at the presence of the young model. “Ah, we are here to partake in some training exercises Ryuji has prepared for us,” he replies without missing a beat.

 

Ann examines the poorly dressed trio, then eyes Ryuji with confusion. Ryuji simply slumps his head down in disappointment.

 

“I see….,” Ann says with a sympathetic smile.

 

“If I may,” the detective interrupts. “What is your business here, Ann-chan?”

 

The girl huffs in annoyance. “Seriously Goro, you really need to stop with that stiff language. Just ‘Ann’ is fine.”

 

“S-Sorry, it's a force of habit.”

 

Akira smiles at the slightly flustered brunette. Despite how many years it has been, Goro still had trouble addressing people without using honorifics, aside from Akira of course. The boy insisted it was part of the act, and that people shouldn’t act so friendly with people they just 'met'. Akira, however, knew that was not simply the case.

 

A hand starts to lightly tap on Akira’s shoulder. He turns to the side and sees Ann give him a sly grin. She then gestures over to the cameras that were being set up behind them.

 

“Hey! Do you guys want to do a favor for me,” she asks playfully. “Right now, we’re supposed to be shooting this new casual wear line for next month Vague, but our two male models weren’t able to make it today. Would you guys be interested in helping us out?”

 

Ryuji’s face contorts in disgust. “You want us to model?”

 

“Just two of you, and I have the perfect candidates!”

 

Ann grabs Yusuke and Goro’s hands and, with excitement, drags them over to her modeling crew. The crew happily greets them and after a few moments of talking, the two reluctant teens are pushed into nearby tents.

 

Akira smiles in contempt. It wasn’t exactly what he had in mind, but he would get the desired result either way. Ryuji walks up beside him and groans. “Ugh, this is SO not what I had in mind today. How the hell did we get dragged into this mess?”

 

“Friends should help friends out,” the boy with glasses replies plainly.

 

“Yeah, but it’s not like they asked _us_ to help.”

 

Akira flashes the blonde delinquent a teasing grin. “Oh, jealous you weren’t selected to model with them?”

 

“What? Hell no! Like I would want to pose in front of a bunch of cameras like someone’s pretty little doll.”

 

_He is so jealous._

 

“What about you? Does the ‘cool Joker’ feel offended that he ain’t _hot_ enough to be over there with them?”

 

Actually, in the last timeline, he WAS chosen to model with Ann and Yusuke, while poor Ryuji was left to wait on the sidelines by himself. The three had to treat him out to ramen on three separate occasions as an apology. Well, in Yusuke’s case, the artist was forced to buy Ryuji a cup of instant noodles due to lack of funds.

 

“Eh, less work for me.” Akira shrugs. _And it also gives me the chance to watch and admire….the hard work being put in._

 

Ryuji and Akira converse for a few more minutes before the three other phantom thieves emerge out of their respective tents. Joker’s eyes instantly land on Goro Akechi.

 

He was wearing boxy glasses and his hair was tied in a loose ponytail. Strands of hair were strategically sticking out in random directions, while a few of them elegantly fell in front of his face. The boy was also sporting a light brown cardigan with a white button-up underneath, as well as light blue pants that stopped short of his ankles and white laced shoes.

 

_Nice._

 

Goro usually wore very formal and layered attire, so it was like a breath of fresh air to see him in something more loose, light, and slightly unkempt.

 

Akira looks up from his daze and sees Goro eyeing him curiously. As their eyes meet, the detective smiles at him and waves. The black-haired teen blushes in response.

 

“You’re welcome by the way,” a voice says beside him.

 

Akira turns to see Ann, instead of Ryuji, standing right next to him. His male schoolmate had managed to sneak away from him in order to joke with Yusuke and poke fun at what the artist was wearing.

 

“What are you referring to,” the calm leader asks the girl curiously.

 

“I saw what you were doing earlier...eyeing our little detective like he was some tall glass of water on a hot day.”

 

"It is pretty sunny out, huh?" Akira smirks. “And I have no idea what you are talking about.”

 

Ann giggles, clearly unfazed by his comment.

 

“You know, I figured that I could either get both of you into super cute poses together or just one of you while the other stayed behind to admire the show.” She ponders to herself. “I went with the latter since I know how much you  _love_  to be an observer. I’m guessing I made the right choice?”

 

People look at Ann Takamaki and they tend to see just some self-absorbed, ditsy blonde like those personalities portrayed on tv. However, in all the years he’s known her, she’s always been a strong, kind and compassionate young woman. She had a keen and observant eye that gave her great understanding of those around her. It was that skill that kept the team from losing sight of the bigger picture.

 

And despite being called ‘Joker', he couldn’t fool the pigtailed girl. “Haha...and that is why I always go to you when it comes to love advice,” he says fondly.

 

“Huh?”

 

_Oh right, wrong timeline._

 

“It’s nothing, but thank you. For being a great wingman.”

 

Unable to contain her excitement, Ann grabs onto him and starts jumping up and down. “Akira, you HAVE to tell him!”

 

“Shush, everyone will hear you.”

 

The two look over at the set to see Ryuji and Yusuke still chatting while Goro was being surrounded by a few female crew members who were clearly starstruck to be around the famous detective prince. Akira felt himself frown as the brunette flashes one of his signature tv smiles at the girl who was applying his makeup.

 

“When are you guys going to start shooting already,” he questions Ann, slightly irritated.

 

“Akira, instead of seething with jealousy, why don’t you just let him know how you feel. I mean, seriously, you guys were flirting during our ENTIRE foray into Madarame’s palace. You’re both clearly into each other.”

 

“I don’t know,” he says while scratching the back of his head.

 

It was strange. Despite technically being around 27 years old, he was acting like a teenage girl going through her first crush. Akira was an experienced lover boy who, at one point, dated all his female confidants at the same time out of curiosity. However, for some reason, the thought of admitting his love to his nearly decade-long best friend and partner scared him.

 

Ann gives him a thoughtful look. “Maybe this photo shoot will help you change your mind? Come on, they’re about to start.”

 

He nods and follows the young model into the crowd.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“I’m guessing this afternoon went all according to plan?”

 

From his seat on the bed, Akechi gazes over at Akira who was mindlessly working on his fourth lockpick of the night. The raven-haired boy simply tilts his head and shrugs. “Well, I can’t say 100%. I mean, I was really hoping they would put you in something more skin-tight. What an utter disappointment.”

 

“Indeed, truly a shame,” the brunette replies sarcastically. “But seriously, when you told me to come to Ryuji’s training session without any workout clothes, I did have my suspicions. So, what effect does this modeling experience have on the whole grand scheme of things?”

 

“Who said that it did?”

 

“Then I suppose you did this all on a whim, like always?”

 

“Yup.”

 

“You’re such a child.”  Akechi shakes his head and laughs. “Well, I’ll admit...while getting into those stupid poses was quite tedious, it was enjoyable to spend time with Ann-chan and Yusuke-kun. So, mission accomplished.”

 

“Ugh, when you use ‘kun' and ‘chan’ on them, you sound like an old man.”

 

“I can’t help it. I really do see them as little kids sometimes.”

 

“Great, now you’re making me feel old,” Akira grumbles to himself. “Anyways, I’m glad you liked it. You looked great by the way.”

 

“Don’t I always?”

 

“Touche.”

 

“I expect you to buy the magazine when it comes out, got it?”

 

“Yes, your highness.”

 

And just as quickly as it began, the detective lays himself onto the bed and casually goes back to browsing through his phone. Silence fills the room once again. Akira examines the brunette one last time before going back to work, contemplating on whether to make another lockpick or move on to producing some smokescreens.

 

After about an hour of work, Akira starts hearing heavy breathing from behind him and turns around to see the other boy fast asleep.

 

“Goro?”

 

The younger teen couldn’t help but get up and examine the sleeping figure. The brunette was laying on his side, slightly curled up into a ball, with his hand just barely gripping onto his smartphone. His hair fell loosely against his face, a few locks gently caressing his cheeks.

 

_Damn, he really is beautiful._

 

Like being forced down by an invisible weight, Akira slowly lowers his body on top of the detective until their faces were about an inch away from each other. He feels the detective’s soft breaths against his lips. The warm, tingling sensations cause his palms to sweat and his face to flush into a rosy pink. Each breath the sleeping teen lets out urges Akira closer and closer to the person beneath him. He closes his eyes and….

 

_No._

 

He shakes his head. “Get a grip, Akira,” the boy whispers to himself, finally coming back to his senses. Akira slowly lifts himself back up off the bed until a hand suddenly forces him in place.

 

“Running away? That’s not very like you.”

 

“G-Goro?”

 

Akira nervously presses his lips and shifts uncomfortably on the bed as the brunette sits up and rubs the sand out of his eyes.

 

“Tell me,” he says groggily. “How many times have you sneaked a kiss from me?”

 

“N-Never. I wouldn't do something like that without your consent.”

 

“Good. Otherwise, I would have you arrested for sexual assault. Haha….just kidding.”

 

Goro then looks at him expectantly.

 

_I should choose my words carefully…_

 

Akira sighs. “Goro, I-”

 

“I love you too.”

 

Akira fails to hide his shock as he slowly registers the words that just came out of the detective’s mouth. Goro smiles at him and a part of him feels elated, while the other feels relieved. It was like a weight has finally been lifted off his shoulders. The raven-haired teen lets out a breathy laugh. “Haha... Well, that’s good to know.”

 

“I agree. It’s nice to know our feelings are mutual. But then again, we never really tried to hide them, did we?”

 

“No, I suppose we didn’t.”

 

They both laugh. Akira was so happy, he wanted to grab the boy’s face and kiss him right there. He would’ve if only the brunette’s eyebrows weren’t furrowed in concern.

 

“What is it?” Akira asks.

 

Goro looks at him sadly and groans. “I feel like I’m leading you on.”

 

Akira frowns. “Why do you say that?”

 

Goro gets up off the bed and starts pacing around the room. He placed his hand over his face and begins to rub small circles around his temple.

 

“You have no idea how many years I’ve waited for us to finally stop beating around the bush...To quit convincing ourselves that our relationship is nothing more than a close friendship, and just..be together. Together.” The boy blushes as he emphasizes that last part.

 

He stops his pacing and stands in front of Akira with a grim expression. “However, I always believed being a couple with you would never work out. I still do now.”

 

Akira looks at Goro with shock and hurt. A sense of sadness and fear started to overcome him, and then those emotions turned to anger.

 

“But...why?” He stutters out in confusion. “I mean, we both like each other, and for years now. How can it not work?... It’s not like we have to think about the future with this endless loop anyways,” he notes bitterly. “What reason is there to deny our feelings any longer? I mean...for god’s sake, why shouldn’t we just be a couple for the hell of it and start living again for once!”

 

His voice came out in a loud and desperate whine. They were lucky Sojiro closed LeBlanc early that day and was already home, otherwise, the cafe owner would have definitely rushed upstairs due to his outburst. Morgana was also out for a walk too.

 

Goro shakes his head in fury. “Because it’s not that simple for me, Akira!” The older boy screams out. “With each timeline, there’s always a chance I will hurt you. I might betray you...Point a gun at your head….Fight you and the others...or get myself killed and die! Being _with_ you AND committing those awful deeds would just make things more unbearable for me. I don’t know how I could stand myself doing all that to the person I’m supposed to love!”

 

The raven-haired man stares at a small tear that was pooling in the corner of the detective's eye and sighs. “Goro…”

 

“Even if it’s just an act. Even if you never get mad at me for hurting you...That’s not the kind of love I could allow any of us to go through. That twisted love while you destroy yourself in the process, I can’t deal with that again…”

 

Akira was speechless as he watches the brunette brings his arms up to hold his shaking form. The younger teen didn’t know what to say. It was the most honest and raw thing Goro had said to him in a while, and Akira felt whatever vocal response he could say would never dispel the other boy’s fears. Instead, he ushers the heaving boy to sit beside him so they can both calm down. Goro reluctantly obliges.

 

The two boys look away from each other in deafening silence. Akira felt his heart was crushed by Goro’s words, but perhaps he did that to himself. Was he being insensitive to the detective’s feelings? Was being together truly more painful than being apart?

 

“Also…,” the shaggy-haired boy continues. “If we do break out of this loop, I will turn myself into the police for my crimes. So regardless, in the end, I will not be able to stay with you.”

 

Akira takes in a few moments to fully contemplate over Goro’s words and lets out a tired breath.

 

“I...I guess you’re right,” Akira painfully admits to himself. “Truth be told, I also I had my own reservations about us. You and I are the only non-static beings in this repeating cycle, but I don’t want our relationship to change and sour over this. So, if not following through on our feelings will bring you less stress then...that’s fine with me,” he mutters in defeat. While everything else restarted after March 20th, he knew his dealings with the detective would still carry on to the new timeline. More than anything, Akira didn’t want to ruin what he had with the only person who truly understood him.

 

“I’m so sorry, Akira.”

 

He nods. “Me too.”

 

Unable to stay any longer, Goro gets up from the bed and takes a step towards the stairs. “I should get going.”

 

“Wait!” Akira calls out to him.

 

“What is it?”

 

“I have a selfish favor to ask you. This might be the only chance I get.” The boy in glasses turns away from the other’s questioning gaze and blushes. “Can we- Just this once, can I give you a-”

 

A pair of lips presses against his own and silences him. The detective’s eyes were closed as he took his gloved hand and pulls Akira deeper into the kiss. The raven-haired boy's tensed body slowly relaxes into the sensation and Akira reciprocates the other’s gesture with the same enthusiasm.

 

It felt like time had stopped, but in a good way. All of Akira’s worries about the world and just how fucked up their lives were no longer plagued his mind. Time was brought to a halt around them, but instead of stopping to rewind everything, time stopped to change gears. The gears click into place and Akira starts to feel like he and time were both moving forward together again. Unfortunately, it was only for a moment. Goro slowly pulls away from the kiss, and Akira immediately misses the touch. Time froze again.

 

“Good night Akira,” Goro says as casually as possible. “I’ll see you tomorrow, like always?”

 

The younger teen gingerly traces his lips and stops. He glances up at the brunette who looks at him hopefully.

 

“Yeah…,” he hums while bringing his hand down from his face. “You bet.”

 

Goro nods at Akira’s sad, but reassuring smile and starts to make his descent down the stairs.

 

“Oh, uh Goro?”

 

The boy doesn’t hesitate to turn around. “Yes?”

 

“Happy Birthday.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, if I was going in chronological order, this would be the slowest slow burn ever. I mean, 10 years to kiss each other?? I know they had other priorities but dang! xD
> 
> Anyways...Happy birthday, Goro!


	5. Game #40

Caroline spies the inmate nonchalantly stroll up to the glowing blue cell door below her. The little warden throws him a cocky grin as he looks up at her expectantly.

 

“Well, well. Are you ready to return to your cell?” 

 

The man turns his head from her and sighs. “Good morning Caroline, how are you to today,” he says in a bored tone.

 

His dismissive attitude causes the girl to grit her teeth in annoyance. “Show some respect inmate! And don’t talk to me so casually!”

 

“Okay, little lady,” the prisoner says loudly, while still avoiding eye contact. He seemed more interested in the bike rack by the airsoft store than he did for her.

 

Caroline clutches her hand around her baton tightly. “Are you mocking me-”

 

“Can we go in now? I’m going to Madarame’s palace today, so I can’t waste any time.”

 

“Why you!”

 

His audacity to interrupt her causes one of her blood vessels to pop. Caroline jumps down from her seat on the cell gate and readies herself to kick the no-good, weak, pathetic inmate right in the-

 

“AHHHHHH!!!!” 

 

The girl screams loudly as her foot collides with thin air and her body flies right into the blue light.

 

* * *

 

 

In the Velvet Room, Caroline slams her baton hard against the bars.

 

“You’ve got some nerve, Inmate! What’s the big idea,” she interrogates him as he calmly sits crossed-leg on the floor of his cell.

 

“What is it, Caroline? You seem more aggravated with the prisoner than usual,” Justine inquires.

 

“This imbecile side-stepped me just as I was about to give him some due punishment!”

 

The prisoner shrugs and raised his hands in defense. “Sorry little lady, but excuse me for not wanting to get kicked in the ass for the millionth time in my life.”

 

“Little...lady?” Justine looks are her sister uncomfortably.

 

“You see what I mean, Justine! He’s trying to make a fool out of me!”

 

The twin with braided hair looks at Akira disappointingly and equally as vexed as Caroline. “Agreed. This is unacceptable behavior. You do your best not to test our patience, Inmate. Now...” 

 

Justine flips through some documents and reveals a list of sorts. “...I see you have the specified persona we requested.”

 

Caroline’s fury slowly turns into intrigue. “Oh, you actually got it done, Inmate? That was quicker than I expected. Hmph...Fine, I’ll take it.”

 

The bun-haired warden was genuinely impressed that, despite the prisoner’s horrendous demeanor, he was  _ somewhat  _ competent in his duties. Still, she would not give him the complete satisfaction of a _‘job well done’_.

 

“By the way, your personas are super weak...Not that I’m surprised, Inmate. Though I guess you deserve some praise for finishing your penal labor.” Akira instinctively rolls his eyes at her.

 

“HEY! I’m complimenting you here! Don’t think I do that for just about anyone!”

 

“Aw, so that means you really do like me,” the prisoner teases, while shooting the temperamental girl a pair of puppy dog eyes. Caroline’s cheeks turn red in embarrassment.

 

“Ugh! Know your place, Inmate! For a second, I thought you might actually complete your rehabilitation, but now I see you’re just hopeless!”

 

“As wardens, we simply feel satisfaction in seeing your rehabilitation progress. I find it upsetting you would see such a matter as a source of amusement.”

 

“You’ve got guts though,” the other twin spat. “With that spirit, you should not have trouble making progress!”

 

The more soft-spoken warden continues to shake unamused. “Regardless of your distasteful behavior, we will grant you the use of a new facility which will allow you more freedom within this prison.”

 

“Did you hear that, Inmate? You’re being rewarded. Isn’t there something you would like to say to us?”

 

Akira smiles. “You’re both so cute when you’re angry.”

 

If Caroline and Justine were allowed to kill the prisoner, they would.

 

“Oh, expect some hard work coming your way for this, Inmate! Justine, give him his next assignment! NOW!”

 

“Indeed, and don’t think you can refuse this task,” she says while examining the list. “Alright, we request a Shiisaa with Frei.” 

 

The inmate nods, and just as Justine was about to return to her usual duties, she feels a sudden shift in power come from behind her and...a new presence?

 

“What is...It can’t be?” The warden’s speech slows to a halt as she turns around to look at Akira.

 

“Hmm? What is it, Justine?”

 

The braid-haired twin stares at the prisoner with a surprised expression. “I-It would seem...the inmate already has the specified persona.”

 

“What? That’s impossible.”

 

“Nah, I have it right here,” Akira says while tapping his finger against the side of his head.

 

“Don’t give me that smug attitude!”

 

“This is quite strange. It should have been difficult for you to obtain this persona, and I did not sense its presence with you prior to our previous conversation." Justine leans over the bars in a huff. "I would like you to give me a conceivable reason how his persona is here with us now!”

 

Akira scratches the back of his neck and shrugs. “I’m the wild card. Let’s just leave it at that.”

 

Neither twin, however, wanted to let the issue go.

 

The boy shakes his head and gives the two wardens a defiant glare. “Look, let me just make this easier for the both of us.”

 

“Huh? Both?”

 

“Little lady, please read all the personas on that list, and I’ll present you each one.”

 

The twins stare at the prisoner in confusion. The trickster was obviously up to something no-good, however, their duty is to assist him so…

 

“I don’t know what you’re getting plotting,” Justine eyes him suspiciously, “but very well. Let us see…”

 

 

* * *

 

In a matter of minutes, Akira had both the girls on their hands and knees in defeat. The two slowly stand back up and look at him with absolute shock in their eyes.

 

“This...is….unbelievable. How is this possible? Without even a single fusion at that!” Justine stutters out as her hand grips tightly onto the clipboard.

 

“Ugh, Justine? Is it just me...or I’m hearing...a voice?”

 

“To exceed our expectations in such a minuscule amount of time...this growth...this change. Why do I feel so weak?”

 

Caroline stomps around and slams her baton against the bars of the cell again. She glares maliciously at the prisoner. “Ugh, this is all your fault! You’re not supposed to be this strong!”

 

“Fostering personas...is this really helping him?” The other twin ponders to herself. “I thought this list was well-thought out before, but perhaps I was mistaken?”

 

“Of course not! The purpose of this list is to...is to… Ugh! Dammit, my head!” The bun-haired warden clutches her head in pain causing her sister to worry.

 

“Hmm...maybe rushing you two to remember wasn’t the best idea,” Akira mutters to himself.

 

“S-Shut up, Inmate!”

 

Justine throws the inmate an inquisitive glare. “W-What do you mean by ‘remember’?”

 

Suddenly, a deep and menacing voice echoes throughout the room. “What seems to be the matter?” Igor calls out from his desk. “You are acting quite abnormally? Does something trouble you?”

 

“Not now,  _ Igor.  _ We’re busy!” Akira says while shooting the prison master an annoyed look.

 

Despite the slight pain she was feeling, Caroline scolds the boy. Albeit, it doesn’t come out as intimidating as she would’ve liked. “H-Hey, d-don’t speak to the master like that!” 

 

Igor, however, didn’t seem bothered by the young teen’s comment in the slightest. “Haha, what an amusing trickster.”

 

“O-Our apologizes, master,” Justine says with her face turned towards the ground in shame. “We will reprimand him for this….while providing further assistance to him, of course.” 

 

The long-nosed man nods. “Very well. Continue onward with his rehabilitation.”

 

After a few moments, Akira looks at the two unsure of what to say. “So, do you need anything else from me. Any new _revelations_...maybe?” For some reason, there was a tint of hope in his eyes as he spoke to them.

 

Justine shakes her head. “There is...no more tasks available to you. A-As the ones who rule over power, our role is….!”

 

Akira instantly stands up from his seated position. “Your role?!”

 

“Our...role? Why did I just say that?”

 

“Justine...?” Caroline is taken aback as she watches her sister hunch over in pain, panting.

 

“Hey, are you okay?” Akira rushes over and reaches a hand out to her from behind the bars. However, Justine instinctively backs away from him just as he was about to touch her. 

 

“My apologies, Inmate, for my lack of composure, but...will you please leave us for the time being. I...We have much to think about. We will be sure to grant you all the rewards you’ve earned for completing these tasks on your next visit.”

 

The inmate backs away from the bars and sighs. “Don’t worry, I don’t need them,” he says spitefully. He then turns around and starts to fade away. “See you later, I guess. Hope you two have fun with whatever you do next.”

 

And then he was gone. 

 

Once they were sure the inmate was no longer around, the twins looked at each other with worry and concern. Caroline is the first to speak up.

 

“What was all that? My head is all fuzzy for some reason. I mean, all we did was read the list and verify his personas. So, why are we acting so...strange.”

 

Justine sighs, equally as lost.

 

“I don’t understand myself. Yet, he had all the personas written here at his disposal,” she says while patting her clipboard. “You wrote this list, right Caroline? Do you know why he-”

 

“Huh? Me? No, I didn’t write it. It was...Us?” Caroline ruffles a hand through her hair. “Wait...what am I saying?”

 

“Perhaps...there are some things about us we need to evaluate...question even...I feel like I'm missing patches of memory.…”

 

The not-so temperamental warden nods in agreement.

 

“Yeah...I don’t really know  _ what  _ I know right now.”

 

Just as the two were about to proceed with their individual duties and ignore the whole thing, Justine stops to comment on one last thing.

 

“There is one thing I am sure of, however....”

 

“Hmm...What’s that?”

 

“The trickster...Akira Kurusu...There is something  _ truly  _ terrifying about that man.”

 

Caroline feels a bead of sweat fall from her forehead as she gulps down an invisible lump in her throat.

 

“Yeah...Agreed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does anyone besides me wonder what the hell Igor (aka Yaldabaoth) is thinking whenever the twins and Akira do their confidant thing? I mean, they aren't that far away from him. He's looking right at them whenever Justine or Caroline have their headaches. He should be able to hear everything they say, but the game makes it seem like he doesn't, which is confusing since he's a GOD ~~glorified treasure~~ with GODLY senses.
> 
> For someone who usurped the Velvet Room and has this giant plan under its golden belt, I would expect Yaldy to monitor his brainwashed attendants' behavior more...fervently? But what do I know, I ain't a GOD. :/


End file.
